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January 16, 2015
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Hoping this works, just wanted to introduce myself and share some pictures of my Dan and Wesson model 15 then I'll let you guys know a little about myself and what I know about the gun.
Awesome it looks like it worked although they arent in the intended order and it looks like there is a duplication. First photo is obviously from the right side plus all the included material i recieved with the gun. The second is a picture of the satin stainless steel 6" barrel that I purchased off gunbroker, it has been drilled and tapped and I hoped to put a scope on it but now im thinking of saving it for a possible future trade for a blued porkchop that matches the gun. For some reason the file with the serial number has not uploaded so i will try that with another post.
January 16, 2015
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Alright now I'll tell you a little bit about myself. I purchased this blued model 15 porchop with 4" barrel about 6 months ago and it has quickly become my favorite gun to bring to the range because of its amazing accuracy and fantastically light trigger pull. I originally bought the 6" satin stainless steel in hopes to put a scope on it to further enjoy the inherit accuracy of this gun but after bring it to the range and using the fixed sights I was disappointed to find that it was not up to the standards of the 4" original barrel, so now I plan to hold onto it with hopes of finding someone with a 2" or 6" blued porkchop barrel that wants to trade. Her I will try to include a photo of the serial number under the crane, it is either 13276 or 3276 I don't know wheter the vertical bar that is slightly removed from the other numbers is a one or if it is just a random mark, hopefully someone will be able to help me out and give me so information on it. As to why I joined I have been poking around for the next couple months and finally joined as today I won a bid for a 6" monson vented 15-2 that will hopefully be the beginning of pistol pack of my own.
As you can see it is fresh from the range, I didn't want to give anyone the impression that I don't bring this guy out every chance I get to get her dirty.
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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Welcome to DWF, and thanks for posting pictures.
I need to advise you that it's not possible for that extra shroud to be stainless, DW did nothing in stainless until mid 1982. It's most likely been refinished with something like Armolly or a satin nickel.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
Dans Club
April 18, 2014
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Good lookin 15 there heckler. 6" is likely a matte finish nickel. Dont think there was any stainless in the early days. Some of these guys with a little more experience with older dans may give a better response. You might just make a trade with it. Worth the effort....
Thanks for showing her to us. I see you got a wrench, did you get the barrel gap gauge as well? you'll need it. There is the Average Joe Tune-up thread in the gunsmithing forum probably want to check that out too. Be sure to give a range report when you take out.. and 
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January 16, 2015
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Interesting about the finish, it was sold as stainless which is why I assumed that's what it was in reality the finish wasn't important to me, it was more important that I find a longer barrel in a porkchop shroud, being drilled and tapped for a scope was a bonus. Unfortunately I'm no where near as accurate with it as I am with the 4" barrel so it hasn't been back on the gun since I took it to the range the first time. No I don't have the gap measurement tool. I just kinda eyeball it. Im sure its not the most precise way, basically I just screw in the barrel till it touches the cylinder, then back it out until I can see just more than a sliver of light. I have torn the gun completely apart, amazing what that little tool can do, I have read up on the average joe tune up since but didn't know about it at the time, instead I just took at all apart stripped off all of the 35+ year old grease lubed it up and reassembled, luckily there was a YouTube video to help guide me through it. I have to say I don't know what could be gained with a polishing job, I almost exclusively use it for target shooting so 95% of the time I'm shooting in single action and it could not be lighter or crisper. On my best days I am able to put a ragged hole in the target at 7 yards. I'm sure most of that comes down to the sights though, as I'm sure every gun I own is more accurate then I am but there something about the Dan Wesson that just agrees with me.
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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I think a good internal cleanup is the very best first step, you did just right on that, and if you're happy with the result, don't worry about going any further.
On the subject of the gap tool, many of us use a Feeler Gauge from someplace like AutoZone. This gives you the opportunity to gap tighter than .006".
If you gap tighter than .006", just be sure to check each chamber individually, and set your gap on the tightest chamber. Keep in mind that an extended shooting session can cause some heat expansion that shrinks the gap somewhat, but you can normally go as tight as .002" without any major problems. Your selected feeler gauge should slide into and out of the gap with minimal drag, but always have your barrel tool and gauge in your range bag in case you need to adjust.
The IHMSA shooters especially love the ability to manage the gap to achieve maximum velocity and accuracy.
Yours is a 1971 gun
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
December 19, 2014
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Welcome. Your 15 is wee bit younger than mine (121xx). The first 1 is part of the serial number. I agree with you on the DW being the gun to have at the range.
A couple of things wrt the 6" barrel accuracy. I'm assuming you mean grouping, not POI accuracy (i.e. the gun is sighted in each time to POA). A 6" barrel will have more muzzle velocity and therefore more potential for muzzle flip. The weight difference between the two probably won't make much difference in countering this. But a 6" barrel has more rifling (more bllet stability) and a better sight radius, so unless there is something wrong with it you should see better group accuracy. I'd stick with it a bit. Hope this comes across as helpful and not condescending. A blue barrel would look peachy though. Good luck. Paul
January 16, 2015
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Well you've motivated me to give the 6" barrel another chance at the range. I expected exactly what you were saying better grouping because of the longer radius and longer barrel. Instead I got a wider pattern. Short of a problem all I can think is that maybe with the longer radius the front sight takes up less of the rear sight giving me a little more variance with regards to sight picture. I also enjoy the looks when I bring a mismatched fugly looking revolver out at the range.
And Steve thanks for the info on the year, I knew it was a fairly early one but didn't realize it went that far back, soon enough I'll be taking it out for its 50 year birthday. Hopefully in a week or so I'll have the 15-2 to keep it company.
Lastly can anybody point me towards somewhere where I can find information on barrel shroud manufacture date. Ive seen posts alluding problems withthem being from separate eras then the frame and when I start building this pistol pack I'd like to know what to look for.
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Dans Club
December 4, 2011
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I may be able to help this gentleman but I need some help first. I have a 6" blued porkchop shroud that is drilled and tapped for a scope mount. It has no recess for a barrel nut so I'm guessing its off a model 12 with exposed nut. Would a standard 15-2 barrel tube and one of Eric's exposed nut permit using this shroud on Heckler's model 15? If it would work, I have a shroud I'll sell.
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Dans Club
February 28, 2009
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Here's a listing on GB for a blue 6":
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=463269583
-Mike
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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Are you doing the shooting from a rest? I mean fully rested, seated, barrel supported, and still getting a scattered group with the 6" but not the 4"? Same ammo, same day, same conditions?
If so, I would suspect a problem with the 6" barrel or shroud. Check the bore with a bright light looking from both ends looking for corrosion, damaged rifling, heavy lead or copper buildup, etc. Check the condition of the forcing cone and muzzle. On a perfectly flat hard surface roll the barrel and make sure it does not have a slight bend.
Inspect the inside of the shroud in the same way, no corrosion, bumps, high spots, etc. Inside of the shroud should be as clean as the bore. The barrel should slide in and out of the shroud easily and should turn easily and freely 360 degrees.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
September 1, 2010
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Welcome to the forum from Tennessee and thanks for the pictures.
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May 11, 2011
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January 16, 2015
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Thanks for the responses:
Stevect I'll be sure to take another look at the 6" barrel but as far as I remember it was in fairly good condition. I was shooting freehand which is how I almost always shoot, I will probably wait until thursdsy to go back to the range but I will try from a rest.
Zoommb thank for the link, that's almostalmost twice what I paid for the barrel and shroud I have now, but I would be interested in it if I had first hand experiance from somebody that had used an external but shroud on a 15 with internal but. I know I have a lot to learn and look forward to someone that knows.
Scorpio thanks for the offer I'm interested to find out if an external but shroud will work on a model 15, if we can get anyone with first hand knowledge to chime in please PM me and hopefully we can work something out.
Willy, Adams thanks for the welcome I look forward to learning and sharing on this forum. Like I said in my intro I did win a model 15-2 that I hope to receive in the next ten days or so (holiday weekend slowing the process down) when I receive I'll be sure to share pics and what was bid to get some feedback on how I did.
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